Meant to Fly
by The Hamartia of it All
Summary: There were no words to describe the feeling of flight. The adrenaline, the euphoria, the fearlessness… no word in the English language could express how Robin felt about flight. There was, of course, the problem of his genetic makeup. - The Boy Blunder receives a lesson in the unbridled joy of flight from a certain alien. RobStar oneshot, no flames please!


_A/N: Hello again! Episode 5 of Season Six will take me a little while longer because I went away last weekend and I'm so busy this weekend, so to make up for it (and for how long it took to get episode 4 up), I wrote a new little oneshot that was inspired by a bunch of fanart and gifsets of RobStar on tumblr, so here you go! __Also, there was a quote on tumblr somewhere. Something like, "Maybe the reason why Robin was always catching Starfire was because he didn't want her to fall like his own parents did. He now has the chance to save the person he loves instead of watching her fall helplessly like he did with his parents."_

_I always fangirled really hard whenever Robin and Starfire caught each other and saved each other in their battles with villains, and even though Starfire can pretty much take care of herself and endure more than an average human (due to her alien nature), I always found it amazing how Robin still thought it was necessary to catch her himself. I was watching "Kole" and there's a moment — perhaps less than two seconds, did anyone else see it? — where Starfire is fighting Dr. Light and he blasts her and she goes flying, and just before she hits the ground Robin dives to catch her just to cushion her fall. It was brief but so sweet! I've always wondered what goes through his head when he catches her, or when she catches him, so this is my interpretation._

_No specific setting, but post-Stranded, pre-Tokyo… perhaps after the season four finale._

_Disclaimer: Blah blah blah, don't own TT, blah blah blah… you get the gist._

* * *

_Meant to Fly_

There were no words to describe the feeling of flight. The adrenaline, the euphoria, the fearlessness… no word in the English language could express how Robin felt about flight.

There was, of course, the problem of his genetic makeup. Compared to the other Titans, Robin was biologically an ordinary human. Yet his childhood in the circus as one of The Flying Graysons had inspired in him a desire to soar high in the sky freely, to tumble and twirl without the aid of a trapeze, a safety net, and his mother's arms.

_"Richard,"_ she had once said to him, _"when I see you up there, you remind me of a little robin."_ This comparison would later inspire his superhero alter ego, to honour his parents and his past.

Yet "Boy Wonder" was what he was called by the public, as both a skilled acrobat and Batman's remarkably young sidekick. And a wonder he was, quickly learning all of his father's best tricks on the trapeze and trying it out for himself. Flipping and turning in the air, he truly did feel like a little robin.

But his love of acrobatics and interest in the circus quickly vanished on the night of his parents' fatal performance, and almost instantly, he became more interested in discovering the truth and serving justice in a corrupt society. The Boy Wonder would only fly when needed, never for the sheer joy he'd once felt. Leaving his mentor and adoptive father was one of the most challenging times of his life.

It was only after a certain alien crashed to Earth in his new city that Robin would rediscover the joy of flight.

Seeing Starfire fly was something as mesmerizing as seeing his parents perform. The way she would effortlessly float above the ground, twirl and turn in the air in front of him, and soar at the speed of light was beautiful to him, not that he would ever admit it to her… or anyone else for that matter.

It was simple. She was meant to fly, and not just because of her Tamaranean genes. Starfire was extraordinary, joyous, innocent and free, which was practically the tip of the iceberg when it came to how flight had felt to Robin. And it showed on her face, too. When she flew, she had the biggest smile on her face, in a different way than when she spent quality time with her friends.

While Robin's softer side would often resurface around her, that didn't stop him from requesting that the Titans take advantage of her abilities for missions. Long hours were spent in the gym and on the combat grounds practising aerial attack and defence maneuvers with the entire team. Both Raven and Starfire would carry them up in the air, but Raven's powers and physical abilities could only do so much at a time. It was Starfire's flight and alien strength that the team used most, such as when Cyborg needed a lift or would serve as a human anvil (in the sense that she's drop him on the target while he attacked). And with Robin, she'd practise launching him into the target and transporting him from place to place.

But Robin cherished those moments in the air with her. He never felt so safe, and he had never trusted anyone with his life as much as he trusted her. She never dropped him once, and he could always count on her to catch him when he fell. To him, it was one of the best feelings in the universe.

"Hey there, Fly Girl!" Cyborg called out to Starfire from his place at the barbecue. The Titans were hanging out on the roof having a little barbecue, just for the fun of it. Raven was meditating on the edge of the Tower with Silkie napping beside her, Beast Boy and Cyborg were grilling dinner, and Robin had paused from setting the picnic table to admire their alien friend's joy flight. "How do you like your steak?"

Starfire paused, then flew over to the grill and hovered next to Cyborg. "I do not know, I have not had the chance to try it yet…"

Realizing his mistake — as Starfire still found Earth idioms confusing — Cyborg chuckled. "No, I mean, how do you want me to cook it? There's well done, medium well, medium rare, rare…"

"Whichever way you think is most delicious!" she replied, beaming as she floated back into the air in the blink of an eye. In that second, she'd dove over the edge of the Tower and was free-falling to the ground below, and Robin couldn't help but run to the edge and make sure she was all right. To his relief, Starfire had narrowly missed making contact with the Earth by zooming towards the water and then back into the sky, leaving a red trail of light behind her.

Beast Boy huffed. "How come the girls don't have to help with dinner?"

"You call this helping?" Cyborg retorted, annoyed as he marinated another steak. "Your tofu burgers are getting their veggie grease all over my steaks!"

"No, your steaks are getting meat grease all over my tofu burgers!"

Robin smacked his palm to his forehead. "Guys!" he shouted to get their attention. "The girls already did their part… kinda… Star got the ice cream and Raven got the drinks. Besides, do you really want the two of them cooking?"

Cyborg and Beast Boy grimaced. _"No!"_ The three boys were then hit in the back of their heads by a blast of dark energy.

"I may be meditating, but I can still hear you," Raven spat, still sitting in the lotus position and not turning her head to face the boys. "And Robin, your confusing love-dovey feelings are throwing me off. Quit ogling Starfire and talk to her."

Robin's heart thudded in his chest and threatened to separate itself from his body, while his face heated up. "Wh—What feelings? What are you talking about? I'm not staring, nobody's staring, guys tell her I'm not staring!"

Instead, the two boys shared the same knowing and teasing expressions. "Bro," Cyborg said, a wide smirk on his face. "You were so —"

"So staring at Star," Beast Boy finished, and the boys bumped fists. "You even had a bit of drool coming out of your mouth. What's goin' on in your head, Rob?"

"Yeah, why can't you guys just get it over with and admit your feelings for each other? I saw you guys on that planet we were stranded on a month ago." He wagged his eyebrow, and it seemed that his artificial eye was glimmering with mischief. "Took you a while to get your hands offa her!"

Raven whirled around and glared at the Titans leader. _"What?!"_ she growled, her demonic eyes glowing out of protectiveness for her innocent and naive friend. "You did _what_ to Starfire on that planet?"

Paling, Robin gulped. "Nothing! You misunderstood him! All I did was hug her! Tell her, Cy!"

Cyborg shrugged. "Relax, Rae. It was just a hug, and Lovebirdie-Boy held her waist for a long time, even after me and BB found 'em. Took him a while to let go of her, is all."

"All right," was her reply, reverting back to her human self. "By the way, you never told us what happened to you guys on that planet." Her statement was more of a question, and her violet eyes bore into Robin's mask.

"Yeah!" Beast Boy agreed. "Raven already told us about those little shadap aliens, and we told you how I totally fixed Cyborg _and_ the T-Ship all by myself!"

"Nuh-uh, you did not —"

"Stop!" Raven hissed, before turning her attention back to the lovesick leader. "It doesn't matter. What matters is how you really feel about her. You know I can sense things, Robin. You can't lie to me. And you can't keep pushing her away. Sooner or later, she'll start to think that you don't care about her the way she cares about you and she'll move on." Her tone was no-nonsense, and her gaze pierced into his soul and almost made him fear for his life and pride.

The Teen Wonder's head swam, and he turned his gaze up to where Starfire still flew around, blissfully unaware of the conversation taking place on the rooftop. He thought back to how he'd frantically searched for Starfire after they crashed onto the alien planet, fighting a slug creature that would have devoured him had it not been for Starfire's archery skills (where did she even learn that?). And instead of her usual enthusiasm and positivity, Starfire had given him the cold shoulder and gave him plenty of "the space," much more than he liked. It was strange to see her so dismissive and cold towards him, and what had also surprised him was the fact that she wasn't floating all over the place, but rather she was… walking.

He'd seen her walk before, of course, but to see her hopping from place to place and stepping on unstable ground instead of hovering above it as per usual was more alien to him than his friend's genetic makeup and foreign culture. She looked so out of place, and seeing this made him realize just how natural it was to see her flying. It was what made her extraordinary, what set her apart from other superheroes and, most importantly, what made Starfire… _Starfire._

He would later learn that her Tamaranean powers were connected to her emotions, and her confusion had hindered her ability to fly and shoot starbolts. What's more, _he_ was the reason behind her unfamiliar confusion, and that had pained him. Seeing her so helpless and lost because of him had caused him immense guilt.

But how could he explain to her how he truly felt about her and help her get her powers back in control? The alien princess had an enchanting effect on him, reducing him to an awkward, stuttering idiot just by smiling in his direction.

Somehow he'd babbled on and on about how he found her powers and bravery "awesome," and strangely, it had been enough for her. And when it came time again to use their free-falling bait trick for the screaming space monster, his heart had soared along with Starfire as she regained her ability to fly the two to safety. He had believed with his whole heart that she could do it, and had literally put his life into her hands. Robin hadn't even trusted Batman with his life as much as he trusted the alien princess.

"Robin? Earth to Boy Blunder?" Beast Boy called, snapping his fingers in the Teen Wonder's face. Robin immediately blinked and returned his attention to the rest of his team mates, who stared at him expectantly. "Dude, you were spaced out for like, five minutes. Why do you keep staring at her like that?"

Could he tell his friends the real reason why he loved watching Starfire fly? No, they would tease him mercilessly… Robin coughed and straightened up. "I was observing her flight pattern; she may have to adjust her trajectory a little more so she can gain more speed —"

"Who is in need of adjusting the trajectory and gaining the speed?" Starfire's curious voice asked from behind. Robin jumped, nearly falling over the edge of the Tower, and Starfire grabbed his arm to keep him balanced. Her big green eyes stared into his mask with concern, and he could feel the heat rising to his face.

'Great,' he thought to himself, blushing. 'First a stuttering, choking idiot, now a jumpy, danger-prone moron with two left feet… No wonder I've earned the nickname "Boy Blunder."'

Raven, Cyborg, and Beast Boy all shook their heads in disappointment. The empath decided to take things into her own hands, to give her friend a little push. "No one, Starfire," she replied, giving the alien a small smile. "Robin was just telling us that he loves watching you fly and wishes he could fly like that."

Okay, did she read his mind or what? Robin glared at Raven, assuming that she had entered his mind again. But knowing her, she'd never invade his privacy like that. Perhaps the masked superhero trained not to let his emotions show was an open book when it came to Starfire. What would his former mentor think of him now?

Robin put his hand up to protest, weakly at that. "I… uh…"

Starfire giggled happily. "It is all right, friend Robin! The feeling of flight I find stirs within me unbridled joy and I wish to share it with you! If the dinner is not ready to be served, perhaps you would like to join me?"

Cyborg laughed and turned over another steak. "The steaks aren't done yet, so go right ahead, Fly Girl! Teach our Birdie Boy how to use his wings!"

"It's okay!" Robin said hastily, praying that his face wasn't as red as his shirt. "I'm fine! Besides, I can't fly."

"Oh Robin, it will be just like our aerial maneuvers in combat practise, only I will not throw you into a target!" Starfire replied, clapping her hands and jumping up and down excitedly. Then she batted her eyelashes and smiled sweetly, pleading for him to say yes.

There was no hesitation in his voice as he responded, "Oh, all right."

"Magnificent! I shall not let you fall, I promise!" she cried, giggling enthusiastically.

To the amusement and delight of the other Titans, Robin found himself replying, "I know, I trust you."

Squealing with excitement, she then proceeded to grab his arm, drape it across her shoulders, and locked her other arm around his waist to support his weight. Then, without warning, she took off into the air at the speed of light, his cape flapping behind them. Her grip on his waist tightened, and she stopped when their friends on the rooftop of Titans Tower seemed as tiny as ants.

Robin looked down and gasped, seeing how high in the sky they were. Starfire smiled at him, before she gently glided with him in loops, circles, and twists, never once letting him go. There was a loud, joyful whoop, and Starfire giggled at her best friend when he realized that it came from him.

Exhilaration, adrenaline, and fearlessness flowed through his veins reminiscent of his childhood, prompting an idea in Robin's mind. "Starfire, launch!" he instructed.

Disappointment seeped into Starfire's eyes. Of course the leader of the Teen Titans would use this as an opportunity to practise their aerial attacks. "But —"

"It's okay! I know what I'm doing, trust me," he explained. "You'll know what to do."

Starfire nodded, all fun and games gone. She held him below her by the forearms, and his hands instinctively linked around her gauntlets. Then, with little effort on her part, Starfire launched Robin into the air by flipping him around and throwing him into the sky. All she had to do now was wait for his signal to catch him.

But to her surprise, Robin didn't take out any weapons or position his limbs to prepare for an aerial martial arts attack. Instead, the Teen Wonder let out a loud and exhilarated whoop as he tumbled and twirled and somersaulted in the air, and swan-dived down to the ground below.

"Starfire, now!"

The alien princess zoomed down and found herself face to face with the Titans leader, similar to the way he'd dived after her when she lost the ability to fly and fell into an abyss. Robin smiled at her as their arms wound themselves around each other, no longer scared for their lives, and Starfire finally understood why he felt the need to fly. With a twinkle in her eyes and an approving nod from Robin, she soared back into the air and threw him upwards, his arms stretched out like wings and his cape flapping behind him.

Limitless. That was one word relevant enough to describe what Robin was feeling as his skin sliced through the thin air and his hair ruffled with the wind he (and Starfire) were creating. He felt as if he could do anything, and that no matter what, he would always be safe and free as long as his friends — okay, especially a certain alien — were there to help him.

The law of gravity suddenly began to take effect, and Robin was once again falling back to the Earth, but Starfire caught him in time, and a feeling of safety and security that had once only came about when he practised with his mother washed over him. Yes, the Teen Wonder had finally learned how to use his wings and harness the feeling of unbridled joy — to use Starfire's words when she explained to the Titans how her powers functioned — into the phenomenon of flight… reminiscent of the little robin his mother had described.

Robin's feet suddenly made contact with the solid roof of Titans Tower, and in his little reverie he hadn't realized that Starfire had been gently bringing them back down for dinner.

"Well, finally!" Beast Boy exclaimed, doubled over on the picnic table and clutching his stomach, which seemed to growl as loudly as his lion form's roar. "Dinner's been ready for fifteen minutes and I'm _starving!_ Cy didn't wanna start without — oof!"

The green shapeshifter was cut off by Cyborg's elbow in his gut, and it took mere seconds for Beast Boy to realize what his half-robot friend was staring at in shock. Raven, too, looked up from her bored place at the table and let a smirk escape her face. Soon, the three Titans at the picnic table all shared the same look of teasing amusement.

Robin followed the direction of their eyes to where he and Starfire stood, and, upon realizing why, blood rushed to his cheeks and his face matched the colour of his shirt (minus the sleeves). Both of his arms were wrapped around Starfire's waist tightly, while her right arm was looped under his armpit to support his weight when they landed, and he hadn't let go since. Ever the smooth Boy Blunder, Robin hastily withdrew his arms and concealed them under his cape, hanging his head to hide his embarrassed, crimson face. Starfire was still smiling her Starfire grin, but her cheeks were rose-tinted and she giggled nervously.

"Looks like you two had a nice flight," Raven commented, a delicate eyebrow raised as she smirked at her two friends.

Cyborg chuckled. "Well, dinner's still hot and ready, so why don't we chow down while Lovebirdie-Boy tells us all about his joy flight with his _girlfriend?"_

The three Titans burst into laughter, even Raven to the surprise of her friends, while Robin and Starfire's cheeks burned with embarrassment.

Robin opened his mouth to protest but couldn't seem to find his voice, and he was making awkward croaky noises with his throat. Great. There was _no_ way they were ever going to let him live this down.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! Please r & r, and no flames!_

___Just some announcements, I'm thinking of writing a BBRae oneshot similar to this one, in the sense that both of them seem to really enjoy being able to fly too, and I've always loved their "old married couple" relationship. Eventually, I'm also going to write a Cyborg centred oneshot, perhaps about his feelings for both Sarasim and Sarah Simms, how he sees the Titans, and his thoughts on his Season Three story arc. I have a ton of ideas for other oneshots too, but my main priority here is to keep writing Season Six and hope that I'm able to capture the essence of our favourite heroes as much as possible!_

_Thank you all for your amazing support with Season Six, and I'll try to get Episode 5 up as soon as possible!_

_Maribel ∞_


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